pending yet another re-install

[p14u2nv]

I hope y'all don't mind but I need to have a question answered that I hope will avert yet another CFS2 re-install for the upteenth time. This is getting frustrating to say the very least.

I added the updated 4km file, LOD5 and LOD 7 mesh and then Stiz's converted FS9 textures with no problem and it looks great. After that I then began loading Nibbio effects files and changed some entries on aircraft dp's and cfg files as needed. It was simply copy and paste and I made sure of sequence file numbers, spacing etc. I also deleted all cdp files of aircraft that had changed dp's. Looking back on that effect additions I guess I could have restarted CFS2 for correct ops after every single effect being added and check but I didn't.

Now the dilemna, I can not access free flight nor instant combat. Stock campaigns and missions appear to be ok and will load and there were no new additions to either folder. Error message states initialization files are corrupted and can not start the sim. I deleted all aircraft and reloaded all stock aircraft including their respective dp and cfg files from the cd but no ops as of yet.

Two questions;

1. Where are these initialization file(s) located or is that a general term for the CFS2 start sequence? I am wondering if I can just copy and then paste the original offending files from the cd thereby by passing the dreaded yet pending re-install?

2. Can someone remind me (again) of which bmp files are to be copied from which file and then those copies are pasted into what file? I can't for the life of me locate that info as I know I had copied and pasted and saved it for future reference. Is it ObjectDP to Textures? I have CRS syndrome obviously!

Thanks for any help you guys can offer. Something just isn't jiving with what I am doing yet I can't figure it out. I am super careful when upgrading any flight sim files whether it's CFS2, FS9 or PF so...is there a medicine for this or what? Lol :friday:

[olaf1924]

How many ships and planes have you installed?

[p14u2nv]

All planes were stock and just a small amount of ships other than stock is all...maybe a dozen if that many...

[olaf1924]

I would try the overload patch any way.

[Ravenna]

p14unv,
Try removing all the ships from the SHIPS folder. Start up the sim and see if FF works. If it does, add the removed ships one at a time, restarting CFS2 after each ship addition. If don't have any luck after removing the ships, try removing the aircraft whose DPs you changed and see whether the sim works in FF. If it does, add the removed aircraft one at a time.
Good luck!

[Fibber]

BEEN THERE A LOT OF TIMES AND CAN EMPATHIZE WITH YOU!
:amen:
Just a suggestion here though.Take a look at the ships, and ensure that the ships have something in the folders. I have found some that didn't copy right and only had the folder with the ships name on it and nothing in it. Also make sure that the planes you have are not 'aliased" to another plane that you DON"T have.

[Wulf190]

I'm actually in the midst of a 'CFS2 project'. What I'm doing is taking all of the parts that make up my install, which is everything and then zipping it up in to parts which will make re-installations take at most a few days, rather then weeks.

[p14u2nv]

P14u2nv,
Try removing all the ships from the SHIPS folder. Start up the sim and see if FF works. If it does, add the removed ships one at a time, restarting CFS2 after each ship addition. If don't have any luck after removing the ships, try removing the aircraft whose DPs you changed and see whether the sim works in FF. If it does, add the removed aircraft one at a time.
Good luck!

Fibber and Ravenna,

Well my friends thank you as that did the trick. I moved the ship folder out of the sim and placed an empty placeholder "SHIPS" folder in it's place. Fired it up and all was well. I have since checked all the ship folders and all files appeared to be in place Fibber so it must have been a foul entry somewhere I guess.

Being inquisitive I wonder why that would affect only FF and QC sections though. And to think the SHIP folder was the culprit. All I did was add the .50 cal to the non combat vessels. I guess it would only take a simple error.

After reading your response Ravenna, and to be safe in the future, I think that as I progress this build in the future I will only add one aircraft or one ship one at a time but only after I make any changes to the file(s) but outside the sim. This may take longer but it may save time in the long run. At least then I will find any offending file quickly. Any suggestions are most welcome.

Thank you gentleman, you've helped me learn more about the sim and that's what I'm hoping to do. Outstanding...

[Fibber]

If you were using that file that adds the .50 to the ships, I believe that there is something wrong there. I ONCE had the same problem after going through all those dp modifications. Never tried it again though. So you are not alone there.

[bearcat241]

Put only the "box stock" ships back in the ships folder...fire up the sim. If QC and FF work OK, exit the sim, make a copy of the ship you're trying to trick out and rename it as "XX_ARMED", like "SHA_MERCHANT_ARMED". Make your dp mods and examine your work carefully to make sure its right. Add "armed" to the title in the ship.cfg's header, nothing else. The test QC and FF again. If this works, all is well, but at some point you'll need to add this new ship's name to mdlnames.txt and descript.dat (in INFO folder) in order to use it in missions.

[GearyMcS]

p14u2nv,

To avoid having to re-install, you may want to have multiple installs.

Just rename the CFS2 folder you have now to something of your choice, re-install a clean version of CFS2, ZIP IT, leave it lay in the same default folder where it zippes or store it where you want. When you screw up an install, just rename the clean install to whatever you wish and fly that one. Try to never touch the clean install. If that one gets screwed up, just unzip the zipped one.

You can also zip or copy the install you want to experiment with before adding any mods to it. If it screws up the install you're experimenting with, just delete it. You still have the original install you began experimenting with in it's unadulterated state.

A little extra work, time and space used this way, but saves headaches later.

Good luck,



Geary

[p14u2nv]

Roger that Bear. What I have done so far is add ALL the stock ships from an alternate clean install on another drive and now I am adding the modified ships one at a time hoping to find the culprit. So far so good, about half way through it so time will tell. It's just taking some time is all as you stated.

Btw, are all the bmp's added through add-ons to the SceneryDB texture file copied and then pasted into the main textures file? I think that's right but want to make sure before yet another adventure in creative sim building begins later on today for me! Thank you for your help Sir...

[p14u2nv]

If you were using that file that adds the .50 to the ships, I believe that there is something wrong there. I ONCE had the same problem after going through all those dp modifications. Never tried it again though. So you are not alone there.

You know Fibber I believe you may be on to something here. It seems I may have indeed added that .50 cal mod every time right after scenery install as I have that mod in a weapons mod folder and I go to that folder first. Then sometime afterwards the sim stops access to FF and QC. Of course I can not be totally sure but if my worn out memory serves me...seems like we are getting somewhere here. What I will do is add that .50 cal mod to just one non combat vessel and see what happens. I suspect you may be right though. Thank you for your help...

[Ghostrider]

What I have done from time to time, when everything was working well, was to copy my entire install(s) to a separate location, actually on another drive, AND copy them onto a DVD. These "good" installs remain inviolate, and if and when I have a problem I can't fix, with the installations I'm actively using, I plan to reinstall from the original game CDs, and simply copy my "good" install over top of the new stock installation, replacing all of my add-ons and updates in one fell swoop. Then a reinstall is not a big problem, and just takes 30 minutes or so, instead of months. I also keep zipped copies - call me compulsive.

I understand that CFS2 doesn't write registry entires, so this would work fine in theory.

Thanks, and good luck,

GR

[hellcat44]

Btw, are all the bmp's added through add-ons to the SceneryDB texture file copied and then pasted into the main textures file? I think that's right but want to make sure before yet another adventure in creative sim building begins later on today for me! Thanks...

If you mean the root Texture file.....that's a negative.
The majority of addon readme's will tell you what if anything more needs to be done.

[Jagdflieger]

My technique as well. I also have weapons, scenery and ship packages for each theater zipped up and ready to install pending a problem with an in-service installation.

[p14u2nv]

p14u2nv,

To avoid having to re-install, you may want to have multiple installs.

Just rename the CFS2 folder you have now to something of your choice, re-install a clean version of CFS2, ZIP IT, leave it lay in the same default folder where it zippes or store it where you want. When you screw up an install, just rename the clean install to whatever you wish and fly that one. Try to never touch the clean install. If that one gets screwed up, just unzip the zipped one.

You can also zip or copy the install you want to experiment with before adding any mods to it. If it screws up the install you're experimenting with, just delete it. You still have the original install you began experimenting with in it's unadulterated state.

A little extra work, time and space used this way, but saves headaches later.

You must have read my mind Geary as that is exactly what I have done. I keep my clean install on D drive and it is never touched except to transfer a copy to C drive when the corrupt FF and QC fun begins. Figured that out on the 3rd re-install or so. I name the CFS2 on C drive as CFS2 Mod and it works out for me so far. Doesn't take too long after a few re-installs to figure out how to make the work side of this sim as easy as possible. I'm having a blast though believe me. Btw, that mod copy is also copied back to D drive so in case C drive ever fails I won't lose my work so far.

All I want to do is learn all that I can about this sim and progress to historic only scenery building and historic only missions. I've been reading as many posts here in the forums and other forums. Just building a knowledge base that I can understand. Granted I have a very long way to go however...but one day though...thank you for your help my friend...

[p14u2nv]

What I have done from time to time, when everything was working well, was to copy my entire install(s) to a separate location, actually on another drive, AND copy them onto a DVD. These "good" installs remain inviolate, and if and when I have a problem I can't fix, with the installations I'm actively using, I plan to reinstall from the original game CDs, and simply copy my "good" install over top of the new stock installation, replacing all of my add-ons and updates in one fell swoop. Then a reinstall is not a big problem, and just takes 30 minutes or so, instead of months.

I understand that CFS2 doesn't write registry entires, so this would work fine in theory.

Thanks, and good luck,

GR

Amen and like I stated earlier GR I learned the hard way to copy to an alternate drive after the 3rd re-install or so. I tried to copy a few folders before the delete and wound up with a screwed up re-install so again I learned the hard way. Seems to be my middle names at times BUT I have learned along the way so far and now it's beginning to sink in. Although I've had CFS2 since 2000 when I found out about it, this is the first time I am diving in to the inner workings. I really appreciate all the great hep and suggestions from the people here you have no idea. Well maybe you do as we all start out the same I guess..."dazed and confused" if you will! To help my learning curve I have been taking notes from the knowledge base here in the forums and if one can remember where one store that knowledge file it starts to come together...in bits and pieces of course but I now know more than I did yesterday so it's working out just fine. Slow and arduous at times but that's ok...thank you for taking the time to help my friend...

Can't wait to get to the point where I can fly your campaign missions tho GR...really looking forward to that "...realistic and historic..." work of yours as you have my attention for sure!

I might even cheat and add your campaign before any of my additional mods...sounds like a plan to me.

Thank you very much GR...

[p14u2nv]

My technique as well. I also have weapons, scenery and ship packages for each theater zipped up and ready to install pending a problem with an in-service installation.

That is what I will do from now on too. Packages of modded items just makes sense and will save me tremendously over the long run.

You know I have learned so much in the last two days you folks have no idea. Thank you ALL for allowing me to gleen so much knowledge and pick your brains my friends...all these tips and suggestions have helped me tremendously!!!

Thank you Jag as I appreciate your help...

[p14u2nv]

If you mean the root Texture file.....that's a negative.
The majority of addon readme's will tell you what if anything more needs to be done.

Hey Hellcat, I found the initial idea that concerned saving copies of bmp's to the root texture file. I couldn't remember if it was ALL bmp's or not. The below quote from Pen32Win clarified this for me since I couldn't remember where I got that idea from...I now understand your post better as a result of searching the forums concerning LWClass scenery files only and NOT all bmp's like I mistakenly thought. Thank you for your help...

per Pen32Win;

"Textures go in two places. A. The Root TEXTURES folder. You'll need to do this if you use any kind of LWClass scenery. The other place is
SCENEDB\World\Textures. For LWClass scenery you'll need to copy all of the textures in this folder and COPY them into your Root TEXTURES Folder."

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...?t=9402&page=2